What is Employer Engagement?
Employer Engagement is shorthand for the involvement of employers in developing the skills of the existing and future workforce through links with 14-19 learning providers.
What types of employers are involved?
In this case "Employers" are not just businesses but organisations with employees including public and voluntary sectors.
What roles can employers play in education?
Employers are engaged at different levels, nationally, regionally and locally. At individual schools employers fulfil a strategic role on management boards and boards of governors. Centres of Vocational Excellence use employers to ensure provision meets the needs of the current workforce and of learners aspiring to join the workforce. At department or faculty level employers have worked on curriculum development including drafting and trialling of curriculum materials. Employee volunteering involves groups of staff and individual employees giving their time to work with young people in school. At the bottom of the page opposite is a chart showing activities that employers can get involved in.
Why is Employer Engagement important?
Employer engagement helps raise the standards and improve the quality of learning by:-
- raising standards in subjects and courses
- enhancing the relevance of the curriculum, providing a vocational context
- improving the quality of careers information
- helping raise attainment in functional and key skills
- improving students employability skills and enterprise capability
- improving students motivation and the quality of learning more widely.
develops and motivates teachers by:-
- helping improve the quality of teaching
- improving teachers knowledge of the world of work
- improving the professional and managerial skills of teachers
- energising teachers through partnerships and PDPs
- widening the range of teaching and learning methods
- providing opportunities to learn from and influence local businesses.
enhances the reputation of the school by-
- encouraging teachers and lecturers and students to act as ambassadors for the school
- raising the image and profile of the school in the local business community and with parents.
- crating a positive items in local media
- involving employers in curriculum design, delivery and assessment with adds to the currency of qualifications.
Employer engagement gives access to resources by -
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providing financial resources - for activities and specialist status as well as income form provision of bespoke courses.
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leading to the production of relevant,. local curriculum materials
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giving access to management and financial expertise.
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providing alternative environments for student learning
How can my school engage employers?
Below are some suggestions for recruiting employers. The school will naturally interact with employer contacts regularly and it should be a case of making the most of what you already do.
Work Experience and it's preparation gives the school the exposure to a large number of employers and the greatest number of representative of the school. Send the student's personal statements or CV to their placements, encourage interviews, talk about other opportunities during the tutor visit and invite the employer to debriefing sessions and award ceremonies. Include invitations to school events on all correspondence, including the student thank you letters.
Employers visit the schools in other roles and Employer Engagement can be marketed alongside the rest of the school at Open Evenings and school productions / concerts and award evenings. Include employers involved in the schools marketing material. Invite existing employers to public events, seizing the opportunity at intervals to publicly thank them, providing a photo opportunity and positive news item for the local press.
Look within your current stakeholders for new contacts. The suppliers of goods and services to the school are employers that already have a vested interest. Review the skills and contacts of your Governing body for introduction to employers in the local community. Staff development focused on partnerships with employers and departments have been encourages to involve employers in curriculum projects. It's easier to contact people who have been recommended by a third party.
The statutory requirement of Employer Engagement means that resources are to be used on its efficacy. A Link co-ordinator provides a single point of contact for employers and staff wishing to develop links. Administrative support for the co-ordinator ensures that the clerical aspects of working with businesses are undertaken. INSET time can be used for staff to visit local organisations to identify possible links with the curriculum. Staff attending trade fairs and business events can network with the employer community.
Recruiting employers can also bring income into the school. The provision of services to local businesses can maximise the use of school resources. For example business centres and spaces can be used for meetings, events and exhibitions. Specialist staff can provide small businesses with ICT support and training, some schools offer courses in business start up, business planning or language training. In this way employers engage the school rather than the traditional perspective of a school engaging employers.
If you do not have a recommendation from a third party it is important to reach the right person. In large companies there is likely to be someone in Human Resources or Community Affairs. In small or medium sized businesses you should talk to a senior manager or the proprietor.
Adopt standard business practices when approaching employers. Phone the employer before sending information in a letter or email. Arrange an initial meeting to discuss the variety of engagement activities. Invite them to a school event so they can see how employer engagement can benefit them.
Once an employer is engaged, how can the relationship be maintained?
- Share information of relevant factors, affecting activities and young people, including educational and medical needs of the those involved.
- Clearly define the roles in the partnership keeping the learner as the focus.
- Ensure Employer expectations are realistic
- Plan activities in advance, including the employer at the earliest stage.
- Brief volunteers on their role in supporting the teaching staff
- Schedule regular feedback and follow up with employers
- Review the partnership periodically
- Contribute to the employers' operational and development plans with their role in supporting vocational subjects and work related learning.
Why are schools focusing on employer engagement?
Diplomas require an innovative approach to teaching and learning.
To deliver Diplomas and achieve the outcomes for learners, institutions will have to review their existing practice and the training of their workforce. In many cases this means taking a radical look at deployment of staff, collaborative planning and timetabling, mentoring and support, the learning environment and pedagogical practice. Institutions will need to create the climate for these changes. This is not just best practice but next practice. [Diploma support programme : Preparing practitioners : Inside the Diploma QIA]
Employers have already been involved in the design of the Diploma qualification. If the key concepts of the Diploma are to be achieved, employers will also need to be engaged in the local delivery by schools. School staff are beginning to work alongside employers to provide young people with the latest business practices and creating dynamic and relevant learning experiences.